Korea & Art Essay

Korea is back then was heavily influenced by China particularly with China’s introduction of Buddhism to Korea. This had a very deep political, cultural and religious influence in the country. Art in Korea from the 1st to the 3rd century A. D. was mostly ceramics and sculpture. This was due to the introduction of the Potter’s wheel to the country. This was during the same time that iron technology was introduced to the country as well. Containers shaped like birds that have been discovered were dated back to this period and were said to represent Korean beliefs regarding the afterlife. These were apparently made for aesthetic, rather than for utilitarian purposes. Its manner of creation which was of soft and low-fired clay was very different from those which ere made for practical uses. This soft and low-fired clay wares were called the wajil t’ogi. This was later replaced during the 3rd century by the hard and high-fired stoneware called the kyongjil t’ogi. During the 4th century, Korea had already been divided into three kingdoms: Koguryo in the north, Paekche in the southwest, and Silla in the southeast. There was another 4th political entity called the Kaya Federaltion. It is made up of only small city states located in between Silla and Paekche. Prior to this century, the Chinese had already introduced a system of writing to Korea. During this century, this system of writing was adapted into the Korean Language and was referred to as the idu. Landscape painting was also a form of art in ancient Korea. The earliest one to have been found was dated to the 5th century A. D. and was found in a Koguryo tomb. It was a wall painting that depicted a group of hunters that were riding their horses as they were hunting. Its landscape setting was a simple drawing of a mountain. Another mural was later discovered inside Muyong- ch’ong (the Tomb of Dancers). It was an early example of Korean portrait and genre painting that had more focus on realism. A small gold and bronze sculpture of a seated Buddha was also found in Korea which dated back to the 5th century in the territory of the Paekche kingdom. It was one of the first proofs of the Buddhist influence in Korea.